from the please-tell-me-someone-fell-for-this dept

Normally, if someone were to offer you a FREE iPad or the like unsolicited via the interweb, you'd either be a) reasonably suspicious or b) consulting various anti-malware forums in hopes of regaining control of your computer/Facebook account/credit history. But what if that offer were to come from a more respectable source -- say, an official police Twitter account? If you answered "b" then you're probably taking stock of your life and wondering if leading a life of crime is really for you.

.@CityCentreLPU – we need to talk to you about a tweet theft earlier today, “You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your....

The Solihull Police had apparently made the same offer to gullible criminals earlier that day, but had only received 18 retweets as compared to the 4,000 received by Leicester's purloined tweet. An apology was extended and both police departments went back to work, providing a mixture of the useful and the comical, with Solihull PD helping reunite lost cannabis with its owner and the Leicester Police performing field sobriety tests via Twitter.

I know we tend to focus on the negative side of the law enforcement community so it's nice to see little exchanges like this coming from official channels. It goes a long way towards humanizing these two departments, keeping these accounts from turning into faceless department bullhorns dispensing nothing but blotter activity and talking points.

sorry i should translate for our american cousins:

Hey, if some criminals are dumb enough to turn themselves in to collect the reward money (only to find out they aren't eligible for the reward money) then SOMEONE must be dumb enough to take them up on this offer!

Re:

funny but.... bragging about ruining someones life over catching them with drugs.... not so funny.

@SurreyPolice
Surrey Police
Nine drug related arrests this week, one person found with a white powder...and it wasn't snow! #DeckTheCells

Ruin someones life by arresting, charging them, more so than if they took coke occasionally.
Brag and joke about scumbags who rob and commit violent crimes.... ok
Bragging about ruining a persons life because the drug they had was not government sanctioned like alcohol is.... scummy as fuck.

Re:

Given how much the british society shells out because of people not appearing in court, I think it is well worth it to give it out while taking the criminal into custody. Sad but true: Bribery of this sort is a cheap way to bring the wankers to justice.

Re: Re:

Mock away... when a man is literally kidnapped over christmas, fined and possibly forced into containment in a prison. All for having a recreational drug in his possession.
Meanwhile in the real world.....Alcohol related crime/injuries/deaths at epidemic levels.

@MostWantedDangerousKidnapperTerrorists

Nine Police officers were kidnapped this week by armed men, for having alcohol.
One officer found with Peach Schnapps...No Sex on the Beach for him #LonelyThisCopmas

Re: Re:

Question:

Would you rather be a victim of violent crime.... let's say a sucker punch from a drunk on a night out.OR
Get arrested for having an E in your possession, held in a cell until the paperwork and court date is set.

In certain instances the police are forced by law, to be worse than scumbags who violently attack you.

POLICE RUIN PEOPLES LIVES. (lots of times I am grateful as fuck)
At the very least they should have a valid reason to do so.

Re: Re: Wait what now?

But it may harm your defence....

In the UK you do have a right to silence, but declining to answer questions and then producing answers at a later date can lead to inferences being drawn. But only in limited circumstances - the average dude will be given what is called a 'special warning' and it is limited in scope to key evidence that must be disclosed to the suspect (and legal advisor). If following these warnings they still fail to account for something then it is at the discretion of the court to assess and if proportionate draw an inference that the suspect cannot be believed in their account.